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But I was paralyzed, my heart pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears.
I felt like a deer caught in the headlights.
Everyone else seemed to know the dance, the rhythm of this ritual, but I was lost.
While Prizes around me flirted unabashedly, my lips felt too heavy to lift into even a semblance of a smile.
Then it happened.
The beast’s blue eyes locked onto mine.
Time seemed to slow as he approached my platform.
I could hear the rhythmic thud of his heart, feel the warmth radiating from his massive form.
The world around me blurred, and all I could see were those eyes, full of intent and determination.
With a single word, deep and resonant, he Claimed me. “Mine.”
My stomach dropped, and a cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck.
I barely registered Lily’s voice, soft but firm, urging me to comply. “Go with him, Isla.”
The minotaur’s hand, vast and surprisingly gentle, wrapped around my arm, leading me away from the platform.
The feel of his fingers, though rough and calloused, sent a shudder through me.
My senses were on overload.
The musky whiff of the minotaur mixed with the fragrant notes of the Prize Pool.
Every footstep we took resonated through the chamber, echoing in the tense silence.
My mouth felt parched, my tongue heavy.
Once we exited the Prize Pool, the air around us felt cooler, fresher.
And I knew one thing for certain: my journey in this world had only just begun.
* * *
The corridors seemed never-ending.
I was led through a maze of shadowy halls, with walls constructed from some kind of dark, glistening stone that felt cold to the touch.
Echoes of hushed voices and occasional growls reverberated through the space.
It reminded me of a thunderstorm, the air thick with electricity.
The prisoners, all male, peered out from their cells, watching our progress.
They were a mix of species I’d never seen or imagined: beings with multiple eyes, others with scaly skin, some that seemed to shimmer and change color as they moved.
Each gaze that settled on me felt heavy, weighted with curiosity, and some with a hunger I couldn’t define.
The intensity of their stares made my skin prickle with unease, the soft fabric of my negligee now feeling more like a shield than clothing.
The clink of chains and the muted chatter increased my heart rate, making it pound in my ears.
